The GC2540E5: Rated under utilisation categories AC-7A and AC-7B, this contactor is built for motor control, heating, and lighting loads per IEC 60947-5 and IEC 61095. The AC-7A/AC-7B rating means it's tested for the inrush and switching duty of small motors and resistive/inductive lighting circuits — not just resistive make-and-break. The 68 A rated breaking and making capacity at 400 V (power circuit, per IEC 61095) tells you it can interrupt a fault or start a motor within that current envelope, which is the real-world number for sizing upstream protection. The 48 V AC control coil draws 34 VA inrush at 50 Hz and dissipates 1.6 W at steady state. Drop-out occurs between 0.2 and 0.75 Uc, so it releases reliably on a sagging control supply — important for safety circuits where you need positive dropout below about 36 V.
Where it fits — DIN rail and panel integration
Clip-on mounting to a standard DIN rail, occupying 2 modules of 18 mm width (36 mm total). Screw-clamp terminals on both control and power circuits: power accepts up to 6 mm² flexible or solid, control up to 2.5 mm². Tightening torque is 0.8 N·m for both, so one torque driver setting covers the whole block. Operating position allows up to 30° from vertical, which gives flexibility in tight cabinets.
Supplied as a set of 6 units, which is the factory pack quantity. If you need a single piece, the RFQ should specify that; the set pricing typically works out lower per unit for volume.
What the mechanical ratings mean for a live line
Mechanical durability is rated at 1,000,000 cycles, electrical durability at 100,000 cycles for both AC-7A and AC-7B duty. Maximum operating rate is 300 cycles per hour at 50 °C — that's about one operation every 12 seconds, which covers most conveyor and pump cycling but not high-speed pick-and-place. Vibration resistance: 2 Gn open, 3 Gn closed across 5–300 Hz; shock resistance 10 Gn open, 15 Gn closed. These numbers mean it holds in on a machine tool or compressor skid without auxiliary support. Associated fuse rating is 25 A gL at ≤ 440 V for the power circuit — coordinate upstream protection accordingly. Average impedance of the power circuit is 2.5 mΩ at Ith 25 A, 50 Hz, so voltage drop across the contactor is negligible for most loads.